Dear Parents & Carers, This year we have had a focus on literacy; and in particular, developing our children’s writing skills. In light of the work of Alan Peat (an independent literacy consultant and former teacher), we have been trialling strategies of teaching specific sentence types to improve our whole-school consistent approach to the teaching of literacy skills. This progressive sentence based approach is a strategy we will be introducing and evaluating. Each year group will be introduced to sentence types which form part of a progressive structure from Early Years to Year 6. The booklet outlines the sentence types your child will be taught, which will of course be adapted to suit your child’s needs. We hope you find this booklet informative; should you have any queries or questions, please see your child’s class teacher. Thank you for your support.
Kind regards,
Louise Timmins Literacy Co-ordinator
With support, most children will achieve the following sentence types taught by year group:
Foundation Stage
Year 1
Year 2
Sentence Type to be introduced & taught Simple sentence structure to be verbalised Simile sentences List sentence -ing opener – introduce through circle time - ly sentence Connective opener Introduce the question mark symbol 2A sentence Short sentence But & so sentences (boys) Connective opener All the W’s Revise & embed all previous types The more, the more Personification of the weather Verb,person Emotion word(comma) Revise & embed all previous types
Boys Sentences End of Year expectation Foundation Stage Year 1 Pupils to be able to use but and so in a sentence spoken verbally.
Year 2
Pupils to be able to use but and so in a sentence.
Examples
He was a friendly man most of the time, but he could be nasty. It was a beautiful morning for a walk so he set off quite happily. See above.
2A Sentence End of Year expectation Foundation Stage Year 1 To be able to write a sentence which contains two adjectives separated by and. Year 2 To be able to write a sentence which contains two adjectives separated by a comma.
Examples
He was a tall and awkward man.
He was a tall, awkward man.
Simile Sentence End of Year expectation Foundation Stage Year 1 Through talk/writing develop similes.
Year 2
Begin to write sentences which contain similes stressing: like a …and…as a …
Examples
Her jacket was as red as a rose. It was as huge as an elephant. Her skin felt as soft as velvet. The moon hung above us like a patient, pale face.
List Sentence
Foundation Stage
Year 1
Year 2
End of Year expectation To be able to speak a simple list sentence. This must be modelled in writing by the teacher. To be able to speak a simple list sentence. This must be modelled in writing by the teacher. To be able to write a sentence which has between two and four adjectives before the noun, separated by commas.
Examples When mum went shopping she went bought some plums, oranges and lemons.
At the fun fair, Jake saw a candy-floss stall, the helterskelter and the big wheel.
It was a dark, long, leafy lane.
-ly sentence
Foundation Stage
Year 1
Year 2
End of Year expectation To be able to say a sentence that begins/ends in one adverb. To be able to write a sentence that begins/ends in one adverb. To be able to write a sentence that begins/ends in two adverbs separated by and.
Examples
End of Year expectation To be able to say a sentence that starts with the word ‘feeling’. Continue verbalising the sentences and begin to write them down. To be able to write a sentence that begins with an –ing word followed by a comma.
Examples
She screamed loudly. Happily, he ran to his Mum.
He ran quickly. Quickly, he walked away.
He swam slowly and falteringly.
-ing Opener
Foundation Stage
Year 1
Year 2
Feeling upset, I sat on the buddy bench.
Feeling happy, I skipped outside.
Flying, John had always been terrified of it.
Connective Opener
Foundation Stage Year 1 Year 2
End of Year Examples expectation Verbally and First…Next…After modelled by the that…Finally… teacher. As above. Writing the sentence but without a comma.
Short Sentences End of Year expectation Foundation Stage Year 1
Year 2
Teacher to identify short sentences in work read by / written by the teacher. To be able to write a one or two word sentence for dramatic effect in a story.
Examples
Stop! Help! Oh no!
All the W’s
Foundation Stage
Year 1
Year 2
End of Year expectation To ask questions beginning with Who? What? Why? When? Where? To write short sentences beginning with question words. (Who? What? When? Where?Why? To write short sentences beginning with above question words plusWould? Was? Will? What if?
Examples Who will help me? Why did that happen?
Who will help me? Why did that happen?
Would there ever be another chance to do this? What if you had all the money in the world?
